((Brief pause here for any interaction before Mard heads off, or you get to the middle of the park))

Jan watches Mard from the corner of her eye, trying to judge if is wariness feels off to her, or if he's just being a professional.

Insight: 17

(Dice roll not showing up - please edit, or roll on the campaign page - thanks)

((When I first posted, it was visible as a 20, I'll try nudging it in the post, but it'll probably break.))

((Seems to have worked without objection.))

Jan hasn't worked with Mard that many times, but enough to get a general feel for his body language. The guard captain is subtle about it, but Jan is pretty sure he's agitated. She doesn't get the sense of any malice from him. The quiet streets seem to be bothering him. When he heads into the park with the two guards it seems to ratchet up. Not enough for anyone else to really notice, but enough for Jan's keen sense of observation to pick up on.

"Something we should be on the lookout for?", Jan asks him quietly.

Mard looks at Jan, one eyebrow raised. He's quiet for a moment, then just shakes his head.

"I don't like this. I said the mayor should just pay you quietly," Mard says. "Nothing good will come of antagonizing these people."

Marrin looks around at the very, very quiet town and remarks,

"Seems like if the mayor meant for this to be a show, he should have gotten a few tips from the people at the Lintoll."

More quietly to Ava and Ula,

"Ready for a fight?"

To Slick and Tammer dryly mocking,

"Oh, I'm glad you could make it. This whole thing is for you two!"

“Antagonizing who?  Pirates?  Hmph.  If not antagonizing them results in your citizens and travelers to your town being abducted and sold off for sport, I think a little antagonizing is in overdue.”

Mard listens to Ethel but only nods.

Tammer and Slick shout into their gags at Marrin's taunt.

Marrin's mocking tone turns cold towards the pair of condemned as it builds towards seething,

"You two have been doing far worse to people in delivering them to the Hargroves for who knows how long. Good people died getting away from them, people I liked.  So you will shut up and behave or the Mayor will need to accept you missing pieces."

Intimidation: 11

((Wasn't showing up so I added a space after the roll))

"You thinking someone may try to spring the two of them? Seems an awful risk for them to take. Or just concerned that the Mayor is putting his name at the top of some lists?"

Mard pauses for a moment and looks back at Jan.

"I don't like the Hargroves. They're well connected," Mard says. "Just keep your eyes open."

He departs.

The two remaining guards keeping hold of Slick and Tammer wait for your group to move before guiding the prisoners into the gardens.

"Oh these two have seen their last days of freedom.  They are not going to be sprung."  Avaria starts looking around more as well hearing the nervousness from Mard.  She agrees, showboating was never a good idea.

Perception  13

"Mard, I don't think you've ever met a group that dislikes the Hargroves more than us. But consider our eyes open."

Despite her dismissive tone about the pirates, Ethel is quietly concerned about the guard captain's unease.  He certainly knows this town and its dangers better than anyone of them.  

And once again... danger threatens while I have frittered away the better part of my spellpower on disguises and vanity projects.

She cared not for appearances... not any longer.  Putting on her old face was not for her own benefit.  But she did not know this mayor, and as a politician, Ethel couldn't be sure how much he cared about appearances.  And they needed every copper of that reward money, so Ethel had thought it prudent to make herself more classically presentable, just in case.

Now though... well, it can't be helped.  Mard is most likely just being overly cautious, she told herself.  Nevertheless, she tried to keep her eyes up and about for anything suspicious... 13. (rolled in game log)

Once Mard and the two original guards have disappeared over a rise in the park the remaining two guards push Tammer and Slick forward.

The cobblestone pathway meanders through a well manicured garden. Grassy lawns, and brightly coloured flowers are surrounded by trimmed and vibrant green hedges. Lamp posts line the pathways, unlit at this time of day though you can envision how this would look at night. Low, wrought iron fences, intricate floral designs shining in the sun, line the paths.

As the group progresses further north through the park and starts walking next to a large pond, which you can see is bisected by an arching stone bridge, music starts to reach your ears.

Where the music of the Lintoll was whimsical with hints of dark corners, this music is all loud brass band.

You turn a bend around the pond, coming out past a small grove of trees to see a stage and tent set up next to the northern reaches of the pond.

A four piece brass band plays enthusiastically, though slightly off key.

Seating in a small horseshoe shape around the stage looks permanent, made of stone most likely. You get the impression of theatre-in-the-park type setting.

A dozen or so, rather bored looking townsfolk sit in the tiered seats looking around. You do see the Stonecast clan seated in the front row - Olek, Maisie and Emma, who all wave when they see you.

The interest of the crowd perks up and you can hear them talking now when they see you.

As you get closer, you recognize one other person in the viewing area - Adelysia Demai, the unfriendly, high on herself, merchant from the ship and your stay with the Hargroves. Her tight, pursed lips betray little but she does stare at the lot of you, eventually returning her gaze to the stage.

Up on stage, Mard stands next to a tall, thin man in a purple robe, with a gold chain around his neck. He holds an ornate staff in one hand

“That’s Mayor Klein,” Ula whispers.

Jan recognizes the mayor from the docks when you first boarded the Xanthe’s Wish nee Rose Marie. Mard had been holding an umbrella over his head to keep the mist off.

Four guards (two on the stage, and one at either side of the stage) keep watch over the crowd and over two others kneeling on the hard boards of the stage.

Where you expected your two prisoners to go, there are already two other prisoners, both with dark hoods over their heads and there hands shackled behind their backs.

Mayor Klein clears his throat, but at first the talking doesn’t stop. He looks at Mard, a stern expression crossing his face.

Mard shouts out to the crowd “And now, here’s Lord High Mayor Lawrence Klein.”

The crowd quiets down, after giving some polite applause.

The mayor’s stern face disappears and a wide, radiant smile quickly replaces it. He smiles at the crowd and then over at your group as well.

“For too long pirates and slavers have sailed the seas off our coast with seeming impunity,” Mayor Kelin says. “Taking what they want when they want it. But I promised you that I would put a stop to it. You would be able to sail freely to collect your catch and trade with the other towns around the Sea of Fallen Stars. And you have all see the success of our campaigns. Here is but one more step in that fight.”

The mayor sweeps a hand out to encompass the party and your prisoners.

“These brave adventurers have battled the dirty ruffians of the sea and have secured four prisoners.” The mayor says. “Please give them the Spandeylion welcome they deserve.”

The mayor begins to clap, as does Mard and then the crowd, the Stonecasts clapping the loudest.

The two guards with you bring your two prisoners up on to the stage and they’re forced to kneel next to the other two.

When the clapping dies down, the mayor moves behind the prisoners and Mard steps forward.

“Two pirates,” the mayor says, and as he does, Mard pulls the hoods off, leaving Tammer and Slick blinking in the sun. The crowd boos.

“And a black marketeer, who has been profiting off our losses. And to top it off, one of the master minds of the slaving ring operating off our shore.” With that Mard whips off the remaining two hoods.

The pale, and defeated faces of Harry Dodds and Gertie Hargrove suddenly come into view.

The crowd boos again.

The mayor holds up his hands and gestures for the party to come join him on the stage.

“Come. Let me bestow our thanks and a token of our gratitude for your endeavours,” the mayor says.

Mystra's balls...

Ethel steps up onto the stage and looks back at Marrin.  "Could you give the crowd a quick speech about our adventure?" she whispers.  "Give me a moment to speak with the mayor in the background."

[Assuming she gets a distraction for the crowd...]

Ethel gives a polite smile and waive to the onlookers, then approaches the mayor.  Quietly - hopefully enough so that only the mayor can hear - she says to him, "I think there may be a bit of confusion here, your honor.  Dodds and Gertrude were instrumental in the blow we dealt against the Hargrove's operation.  We brought them back to Spandeliyon as refugees, not as prisoners.  And come now, Gertrude is hardly a mastermind of anything.  Any debt they may owe to society, they have paid it in the piles of dead pirates they helped us leave behind when we left the Hargroves."

[Will wait for Marrin's distraction, if any - it may influence how the mayor and Mard react to Ethel]